with
you, will this retribution descend; for your own sake, therefore, and
for the sake of the misguided men who are being tempted by your rashness
to their _own_ destruction, I ask you again, and for the last time, to
yield without further resistance."

"I have but one answer to make to your appeal, sir," replied the count,
"and it is this. I positively refuse to place myself in the power of
those who have again and again proved themselves completely devoid of
the principles of honour and justice. And I here and now throw off my
allegiance to a country the government of which is in the hands of
regicides and wholesale murderers, and declare myself to be in active
sympathy with the Corsican patriots."

"Enough, sir, and more than enough," haughtily returned the Frenchman.
"On your head must rest the responsibility for whatever bloodshed may
now ensue."

And turning on his heel, he disdainfully snatched the handkerchief from
his sword-point and strode resentfully away. He had, during this brief
colloquy, been covered by the muskets of the entire party under my
command; and at its conclusion, though I promptly interfered, I was
barely in time to prevent a volley being fired upon him. I learned
afterwards that the count, knowing the temper and feeling of his people,
had, before going out on the balcony, given the most positive orders to
those under his command that, whatever the issue of the interview might
be, the officer was to be allowed to retire unmolested.

The attack commenced immediately upon the French officer rejoining his
command, the entire force advancing at a rapid double, in order to place
themselves as speedily as possible under the cover afforded by the steep
slope which divided the flower-garden from the broad terrace in front of
the chateau. The rush was made, and the cover gained in less than a
couple of minutes; but our coolest and steadiest marksmen had already
been stationed at the windows, with orders to select an individual mark
and to make every shot tell; the result was that, almost immediately
upon the troops getting in motion, an irregular fire broke out upon them
from the chateau; and short as was the time occupied in making their
rush, they left some ten or eleven of their number prostrate behind
them.

The Frenchmen by no means intended letting us have things all our own
way, however, for directly they were safe under the shelter of the slope
they crept up it, and, shielding them